GREEN-fingered youngsters are leading the way to a cleaner future by targeting energy wastage and building a nature garden at their school.

The Sowerby Primary School-led project has seen several environmental schemes created by pupils over the past year.

The impressive list, including a wildlife garden and orchard, has won praise from TV naturalist David Bellamy.

Located on Topcliffe Road, in Sowerby, near Thirsk, the rural school has secured grants to carry out the work from various sources.

Hambleton District Council and the Friends of Sowerby School have all given their backing. Funds have also come from groups such as the Big Lottery and the National Lottery-run Awards for All Scheme.

Headteacher Jean Yendall said: “The idea for the nature projects came from the fact that I’m really interested in these issues.

“The area we have developed into the wildlife garden had been left and the opportunity was there to breathe life into it.

“I am surprised at how the children have taken to it.

“Since the project started, they have been calmer and they’re really interested in their work, in the classroom and the nature garden.

“There is also the chance to teach the youngsters outside now, on topics across the whole spectrum of the curriculum.”

The school’s green theme began with the creation of a £10,000 nature garden based on land within its playground in 2007.

Bulbs and plants were put in as the pupils joined with staff and parents to transform the patch. A pond, with a dipping platform, with plants designed to attract insect was built as part of the scheme.

Mr Bellamy visited the school last year to view the work and praise the efforts of the youngsters.

Not content with simply viewing wildlife, the school has also planted a vegetable garden to grow food for school meals. Eighty pupils now regularly work in the garden as part of a school0run gardening club.

Tied into this was the naming of Sowerby Primary School as one of the flagship schools in a healthy eating project.

The National Lottery funded Food for Life Partnership was backed by TV chef Jamie Oliver in a bid to transform school meals nationally.

Sowerby Primary is just one of six schools in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, and one of 180 nationally, to be part of the scheme.

As well as putting more fresh food on the menu, the influence has spread further afield, as pupils and their parents are encouraged to grow and cook their own food.

Energy is also being targeted at the school, with spot checks being made by pupils during the day in an attempt to save £2,000 on bills a year.

The initiative is designed to reduce the effect the school has upon the environment by turning off lights in empty rooms.

The scheme also has the advantage of keeping down the fuel bills at the North Yorkshire County Council-run school.

A future scheme for the school, Breathing Place, has received £4,578 grant from the National Lottery’s Awards for All. This will be a project for pupils and families to view the school’s efforts so far and to learn more about nature and the environment.

“The children really enjoy it, and we have more projects lined up that we would like to develop as soon as we can get funding.”